Vol. 491 No. 7
225 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of representatives from his Department servicing the local drugs task forces; and the reason the Department is not servicing these important committees. [13285/98]
I presume that the Deputy is referring to a situation where my Department would be directly represented on the local drugs task forces. The local drugs task forces comprise representatives of relevant agencies as envisaged in the first report of the ministerial task force on measures to reduce the demand for drugs. In this regard, the education/youth service is represented by the relevant vocational education committee. My Department is represented on the national drugs strategy team which maintains a close liaison with the 13 local drugs task forces. In view of the structures currently in place, I have no plans at present to nominate representatives from my Department to the local drugs task forces.
